Food Protection and Defense Institute: The Food Protection and Defense Institute (FPDI), formerly known as the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, was officially launched as a Homeland Security Center of Excellence in July 2004 at the University of Minnesota. Developed as a multidisciplinary and action-oriented research consortium, FPDI addresses the vulnerability of the nation's food system. FPDI takes a comprehensive, farm-to-table view of the food system, encompassing all aspects from primary production through transportation and food processing to retail and food service.

Food Safety Guidelines: Food-borne illness affects an estimated 76 million Americans each year, with most of those cases resulting from poor food handling and preparing in the home. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture not only helps ensure food is produced and sold in a safe manner, but it also provides information to consumers to help them understand ways to avoid food-borne illness when preparing and handling foods.

Food Safety Plans: The on-farm GAPs food safety team at the University of Minnesota works with Minnesota’s produce farmers to help them develop and implement on-farm food safety plans and prepare for GAPs audits. They provide education, outreach and technical support to fruit and vegetable growers through GAP workshops and mock audits, research relating to GAPs, especially as they impact small growers and immigrant and minority growers, and communication and collaboration with many agricultural partner organizations and government entities to help promote information-sharing regarding GAPs and farm safety.